New Wildfire Breaks Out Near Los Angeles, 31000 Ordered To Evacuate: Top Updates

<p>A new wildfire north of Los Angeles on Wednesday forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes in a region already ravaged by two earlier deadly blazes.</p>
<p>The ferocious flames exploded in size near Castaic Lake, spreading rapidly to cover more than 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares) in just a few hours, reported AFP.</p>
<p>Fanned by strong, dry Santa Ana winds, the fire pushed a vast pall of smoke and dangerous embers ahead of the flames sparking fears that it could spread further.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Around 31,000 people were under evacuation orders who lived around the lake, located 55 kilometres north of Los Angeles, and close to the city of Santa Clarita.&nbsp;The residents received emergency alerts on their mobile phones after the new fire erupted.&nbsp;</p>
<p>”I’m just praying that our house doesn’t burn down,” one man told broadcaster KTLA as he packed his car.</p>
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<p>The blaze dubbed the Hughes Fire, erupted as greater Los Angeles still grapples with the aftermath of two huge fires that killed more than two dozen people and destroyed thousands of structures.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department urged the affected people to leave the area immediately.&nbsp;”We’ve seen the devastation caused by people failing to follow those orders in the Palisades and Eaton fires,” said Robert Jensen of the County Sheriff’s Department.&nbsp;</p>
<p>”I don’t want to see that here in our community as well. If you’ve been issued an evacuation order, please get out,” he said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic was also under the evacuation order, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. The prison houses around 500 inmates who were moved to a neighbouring facility, according to the AFP report.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Luna told broadcaster KCAL9 that other jails in the area were sheltering 4,600 inmates who were still in their places, but buses were kept on standby in case conditions changed and they needed to be moved.</p>